Local News

Gloucester beach parking goes online, cashless to ease traffic woes

“Beach season is always a traffic nightmare."

Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff, file

April 22, 2022

For those who want to visit Gloucester’s scenic beaches, they’re going to have to Yodel.

The city is rolling out the use of Yodel, an online parking reservation system that will allow non-residents to reserve, and pay for, beach parking up to 10 days prior to their visit.

“This is a major step towards modernizing and advancing an outdated and inefficient system for both resident and non-resident beachgoers,” Mayor Greg Verga said in a statement.

Yodel will replace the first-come, first-serve system of paying cash, according to the city. Non-resident beach stickers will no longer be available, and reservations are not refundable.

Officials hope the switch will help ease traffic congestion that has long been burdensome on residents and beachgoers alike.

“Beach season is always a traffic nightmare,” Verga told WHDH.

Resident beach stickers will not be changed; reservations will not be required for them.

Already, not everyone is pleased with the change.

“You shouldn’t get stuck for that,” Kathy Carey, a beachgoer, said, according to WHDH. “You should not get stuck for that at all. I don’t think that sounds right. Just paying them for nothing.”